Joining member having pivotal components for net support structure

ABSTRACT

Provided is a net support structure comprising two pairs of leg members; two uprights; two joining members each including two opposite grooves pivotably secured to the leg members, a transverse socket, and a longitudinal channel pivotably secured to the upright; a hollow, multi-segment cross member, a hollow, staged flexible plug including an internal shoulder and having one end fastened in the socket and the other end fastened in either end of the cross member; an elastic cord passed through the cross member and having either end tied as an enlargement secured to the shoulder; two disc-shaped members each disposed proximate either end of the cross member and including a central hole with the cross member passed through, and peripheral grooves for securing to the leg members and the upright when the joining member is folded; and a net including two side sheaths sleeved on the uprights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to net support structures and more particularly to such a net support structure for supporting badminton net, tennis net, volleyball net, or the like having two joining members having a plurality of (e.g., three) pivotal components (e.g., sockets or the like).

2. Related Art

Portable net supports for badminton net, tennis net, or the like are gradually gaining popularity, particularly in urban areas by virtue of its easy setting up capability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,956 discloses a net support structure as shown in FIG. 1. The net support structure 94 comprises a pair of uprights 92 having two modules 941 interconnected by sleeves, two leg members 95, a cross member 94 having two end modules 942 and an intermediate module 943 interconnected the end modules 942 by sleeves, two joining members 93 each for joining the lower module 941 of the upright 92, the leg member 95, and either end of the cross member 94 together, and a heading tape 62 extended through tops of the uprights 92 with top of a net 97 passed through and suspended by the heading tape 62 and being disposed between the uprights 92.

However, the patent suffered from a couple of disadvantages. For example, no fastening means is provided for securing the leg member 95 to the joining member 93. As such, the leg member 95 tends to disengage with the joining member 93. Further, each of the upright 92 and the cross member 94 is formed of modules connected together by sleeve(s). However, such sleeve type connecting devices are not reliable (i.e., structurally weak). Thus, the net support structure tends to deform after a period time of use.

Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. 543,486 discloses a net support structure for badminton net, tennis net, or the like as shown in FIG. 2. The net support structure comprises a pair of uprights, two leg members at either side, a telescopic cross member having two disc-shaped members proximate either end, the disc-shaped member having a central hole with the cross member passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves, two joining members each for joining the upright, the leg members, and either end of the cross member together, upper and lower elastic cords in which the upper elastic cord extends through tops of the uprights and the lower elastic cord extends through lower portions of the uprights, and a net suspended by and between the elastic cords. However, the Taiwanese patent suffered from a disadvantage. For example, it is assembly or disassembly is a time consuming process involving steps of insertion or pulling out and other steps. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a net support structure comprising two pairs of leg members; two uprights; two joining members each including two opposite grooves each pivotably secured to the leg member, a transverse socket, and a longitudinal channel adapted to pivotably secure to the upright; a hollow cross member including a hollow, staged plug formed of an elastomeric material, the plug including an internal shoulder and having one end fastened in the socket, two end modules each having an end recess with the other end of the plug fastened therein, and a staged intermediate module including an extension at either end having a diameter smaller than that of the intermediate module, the extension being inserted into a corresponding end of either end module for fastening; an elastic cord passed through the cross member and having either end tied as an enlargement secured to the shoulder of the plug; two disc-shaped members each disposed proximate either end of the cross member and including a central hole with the cross member passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves for securing to the leg members and the upright in a folded state of the joining member; and a net including two side sheaths sleeved on the uprights.

In one aspect of the present invention, the upright comprises two cavities on its outer surface, and the channel comprises two opposite tabs on its inner surface, the tabs being adapted to lockingly engage with the cavities for fastening the upright in the channel.

In another aspect of the present invention, the upright comprises a lower support rod and an upper sliding rod adapted to slide into the support rod, and a fastener provided proximate a top of the support rod, the fastener being adapted to secure the sliding rod and the support rod together.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a net support structure according to one prior patent;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a net support structure according to another prior patent;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a folded joining member incorporated into a net support structure according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the joining member being in an unfolded state;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled net support structure according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the net support structure in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of FIG. 5 showing details of a joining portion of the joining member and the cross member; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a net support structure according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, a net support structure in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises two leg devices 10, a cross member 20, two uprights 30, and a net 40. Each component is discussed in detailed below.

The leg device 10 comprises a substantially T-shaped joining member 11 including two opposite grooves 111 of U-section, a transverse socket 112, a longitudinal channel 113 having two opposite slightly projected detents 114 on its inner surface, the channel 113 being adapted to pivotably secure to the upright 30 by driving a pivot 51 through lower apertures thereof and a lower through hole 301 of the upright 30 with the detents 114 matingly engaged with corresponding members (not shown) of the upright 30; and two leg members 12 each adapted to connect to the groove 111 and pivotably secured thereto by driving a pivot 51 through apertures thereof and an end through hole of the leg member 12.

The hollow cross member 20 comprises two hollow end modules 22 having one end connected to the socket 112 by means of a hollow, staged plug 53 formed of an elastomeric material in which one end of the plug 53 is inserted into the socket 112 for fastening and the other end thereof is inserted into an end recess of the end module 22 for fastening, and a staged intermediate module 21 including an extension 211 at either end having a diameter smaller than that of the intermediate module 21, the extension 211 being inserted into a corresponding end of either end module 22 by snapping. An elastic cord 52 passes through the cross member 20 and has either end tied as an enlargement 521 secured to an internal shoulder of the plug 53.

Each of two disc-shaped members 60 is disposed proximate either end of the cross member 20 and comprises a central hole 61 with the cross member 20 passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves 62 for securing to the leg members 12 and the upright 30 in a folded state of the leg device 10 by pivoting the leg members 12 and the upright 30 toward and disposing same in parallel with the transverse socket 112. The net 40 comprises two side sockets 41 sleeved on the uprights 30. Thus, the net 40 is suspended by the uprights 30. Also, the elastic cord 52 applies tension to the leg devices 10 to tension the net support structure.

Referring to FIG. 8, a net support structure according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment, except that the upright 30 is telescopic and comprises a sliding rod 31 adapted to slide into a support rod portion thereof in a folded state. Further, a fastener (e.g., thumbscrew) 54 is provided at a top of the support rod portion of the upright 30 and is adapted to secure the sliding rod 31 to the support rod portion of the upright 30 when a desired height of the upright 30 is obtained by sliding the sliding rod 31 upward about the support rod portion of the upright 30. The second preferred embodiment aims at effecting a height adjustment of the net 40 for applications such as badminton net or volleyball net requiring a higher net.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. A net support structure comprising: two pairs of leg members; two uprights; two joining members each including two opposite grooves each pivotably secured to the leg member, a transverse socket, and a longitudinal channel secured to the upright; a hollow cross member including a hollow, staged plug formed of an elastomeric material, the plug including an internal shoulder and having one end fastened in the socket, two end modules each having an end recess with the other end of the plug fastened therein, and a staged intermediate module including an extension at either end having a diameter smaller than that of the intermediate module, the extension being inserted into a corresponding end of either end module for fastening; an elastic cord passed through the cross member and having either end tied as an enlargement secured to the shoulder of the plug; two disc-shaped members each disposed proximate either end of the cross member and including a central hole with the cross member passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves for securing to the leg members and the upright in a folded state of the joining member; and a net including two side sheaths sleeved on the uprights.
 2. The net support structure of claim 1, wherein the upright comprises two cavities on its outer surface, and the channel comprises two opposite tabs on its inner surface, the tabs being adapted to lockingly engage with the cavities for fastening the upright in the channel.
 3. The net support structure of claim 1, wherein the upright comprises a lower support rod and an upper sliding rod adapted to slide into the support rod, and a fastener provided proximate a top of the support rod, the fastener being adapted to secure the sliding rod and the support rod together. 